While in Washington to play the Nationals this weekend Albert Pujols and Tony La Russa will be guests at the “Restoring Honor” rally organized by FOX News host Glenn Beck and featuring former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
Pujols is being honored at the event and La Russa will be on hand to introduce him to what’s expected to be a crowd of over 20,000 gathering at the Lincoln Memorial on the 47th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s famous “I have a dream” speech.
Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post Dispatchwrites that La Russa was only willing to attend and involve Pujols “after receiving assurances that the event is not a thinly disguised political rally.” Here’s more from the manager, who got into some hot water last month for publicly supporting the Arizona immigration law:

I made it clear when we were approached. I said, “If it’s political, I wouldn’t even approach Albert with it.” I don’t want to be there if it’s political. I made the point several times: “What is this about?” I don’t know who’s going to be there, who’s going to accept it. But the gist of the day is not political. I think it’s a really good concept, actually.

I’ll go out on a limb here and guess that a rally hosted by Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin at the base of the Lincoln Memorial will probably have just a tad of politics involved. Strauss notes that “some liberal critics have portrayed the three-hour event as a platform for the conservative Tea Party movement” and adds that “the rally is expected to include a faith-based message, something that squares with Pujols’ commitment to his faith as well as his Pujols Family Foundation.”

Naaah, Albert is no “Uncle Tom” in the sense of, say, Michael Steele or Clarence “Uncle” Thomas. Compared to Jim Bunning or even Curt Schilling, his religiosity and his conservatism have always been a pretty deeply personal things turned inward to the benefit of his family and himself, not excuses to shill or harangue. I wouldn’t be surprised if he really believes that is what he is being “honored” for, but I’m disappointed that he can’t see through the opportunistic slime coating of Beck-Palin bullshit.
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But I do find it hard to believe that LaRussa is actually gullible or naive (or disingenuous) enough to think that this won’t be a lot of neofascist grandstanding designed to make “America” look like it was supposed to be built on the model of the droolers and knucklegdraggers who follow that frothing clown Beck or the Moose Turd Queen.
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Having said that, 20,000 people hardly amounts to a political or social earthquake. The Grateful Dead could pack three times that many into a stadium three nights in a row, and having Pujols there was necessary window dressing to cover the fact that such an anemic gathering for two national figures represents a major ideological bust. The significance of this whole thing is way out of proportion; it’s just a silly sideshow.

You are presupposing that LaRussa actually believes what he told the press about his apprehension to appear at a politically charged rally, and agreed because it was merely a lovefest honoring his first baseman.

Well, obviously La Russa would want to bring his born and bred American superstar to a rally with those most likely to favor shooting immigrants. I mean, Pujols was born and raised in….wait what? Baseball and politics. Nothing but good comes from them when they get together.

If they want to be associated with Glenn Beck’s rightwing political rally, that’s their prerogative; and it’s my prerogative to think they’re tools for doing so. Whatever, it’s a free country. Just don’t insult me by claiming, “If it’s political, I wouldn’t even approach Albert with it. I don’t want to be there if it’s political.” Be honest about what you’re doing, guys.

I think they are expecting 100,000 people at least. I am not sure if the Dead could get that many people into a show even with Garcia alive.
Q: What did the Dead Head say when he ran out of pot?
A: What is this $hit I am listening to?

No one protests the “baseball team.” They protested an unconstitutional and racist law. Some of the most disapproving voices about that law were members of the Diamondbacks. Lost in the noise about the “may I see your paperss pliss” law was the educational law Governor Shrek also signed which says, in effect, that Arizona grade school curricula have to represent America as white, Christian and all-good, the facts be damned. Frankly, that’s a lot more dangerous than the immigration law – which, of course, is now in the process of costing Arizona a nice chunk of its tax base and will shortly be driving businesses out to states where they can find inexpensive labor, further imploding the state’s already sick economy. Good work, Xenophobes everywhere!

You are aware, are you not, that the village of Talkeetna, not far from Wasilla, actually puts on a Moose Turd Festival every year? And I believe that they do have a festival queen or some such thing. I’ve only driven through town and bought lacquered moose turd tie tacks and cufflinks for the extended family members I most love, but you can check out the festival here: http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Moose+dropping+festival:+a+unique+Talkeetna+treat.+(Alaska+this…-a0105210737
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If Palin really wanted a turnout, shed’ve arranged to move the Moose Turd Festival to Washington and hold it at Republican Party headquarters.